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Just wondering. I mean I imagine it can be done, TK helmets are vac-formed, Boba Fett's helmet is way less complicated "shape-wise" I was just wondering if it was ever done. It could be like a stunt helmet maybe?

There was someone called "blaxsmyth" if I spelled it right, who made a vac-form mando helmet from a two part mold. The face up to the middle top of the dome was one half and the back to the other end of the dome was the second half, just like the two part rubies jango is made.

I may be wrong, but I remember seeing Snowtrooper helmets being vac-formed in three pieces: dome, rear and front. Vac-formed Mando buckets would be a great starting point for Custom Mandos and Fetts alike. Great idea!

Now I'm thinking more about this- I have a good fiberglass helmet that I could use as a starting point. I'm thinking that the final cost for a set of parts (front, back, dome, resin ears, resin rangerfinder top) would be in the $50-$75 range. You would have to find your own tinted visor and range-finder stalk.

Now I'm thinking more about this- I have a good fiberglass helmet that I could use as a starting point. I'm thinking that the final cost for a set of parts (front, back, dome, resin ears, resin rangerfinder top) would be in the $50-$75 range. You would have to find your own tinted visor and range-finder stalk.

If I were to make these, how many people would be interested in one?

Mark

If it were $50 and decent (better than rubies) I don't think I could not buy one. I'd just like to go wild and paint a helmet something crazy, and maybe I could.

You can definitaly do it and it would be alot cheaper for those wanting to do varient helmets. I think a 2 part mold would work better because you can conceal the seam lines better that way. You know how the FX TK helmets are, you can see that line running around the whole thing. I wouldnt mind trying it out if I had time. But you can make it alot more affordable, less than $100 for sure.

It would definitely have to be under $100. I would love to have a Fett bucket that was made out of something like ABS, that was less fragile than my resin helmet.

Bradleyfett, I'm not really knowledgeable on the vacu-forming process... would you do the forming on a negative mold (multiple molds)? How would you get decent definition on something like the dent? I've bought a few sub-par sandtrooper parts that were really soft because they formed over a positive mold, rather than from a reverse mold.

I'm curious about the process, and interested to sign up if you try this.

It would definitely have to be under $100. I would love to have a Fett bucket that was made out of something like ABS, that was less fragile than my resin helmet.

Bradleyfett, I'm not really knowledgeable on the vacu-forming process... would you do the forming on a negative mold (multiple molds)? How would you get decent definition on something like the dent? I've bought a few sub-par sandtrooper parts that were really soft because they formed over a positive mold, rather than from a reverse mold.

I'm curious about the process, and interested to sign up if you try this.

You would use a negative mold for vac-forming. Vac-forming is taking a sheet of plastic, heating it up till its soft, and then placing it over a mold on a table with a vaccum attached, and pressed over the mold, with the suction of the vac, pulling the soft plastic around the mold until the plastic cools.

To Lizard, Im not very sure drywall w/ mud would really work. Drywall may withstand it once, but after that, I dont think so. Mud wouldnt last very long at all. Prefered vac-form bucks are gypsum, plaster (best the first time, but may need repair after) MDF, other hard woods, even metal bucks if you can figure how to make them. You can even use dense foam for molds.

In '93 (ish) I purchased a Fett helmet made by MARCO that is vac-formed in two halves. I still have this helmet as it is still one of my favorites in my collection. I know it is not accurate, but it was the only thing available (that I know of) at that time as Don Post had not made Fett helmets yet.

It is a front half and a back half and it is actually rather thick. It was painted in layers with liquid mask used for the paint chips and scratches (there are still a few small bits of the liquid mask left here and there to this day). The paint scheme/colors on mine is actually a lot better than I have seen on my friend's MARCO helmet. I have noticed that Marco had very different versions of his stuff as time went by. My Trooper armor and helmet I had looked different from my friends as well.

The helmet has held up incredibly well over the years. It has mainly been a display piece for me (I did troop in it once about 10 years ago). There are a couple very small cracks in the piece of plastic that they put at the bottom of the mandibles on the inside of the helmet to keep the bottom of the T-visor from pinching.